Tiny Tales of Terror - The Chalkboard

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 Hey, Marlon, did you write on my board again? I told you it's only for groceries.' 

'No, Mum.'

I rubbed it out, certain that Marlon was fibbing. The chalkboard hung on high on the wall by the fridge, and I didn't want him to keep climbing on the barstool to reach it. I rubbed out the stupid message - "GET OUT" and thought no more about it- at least, until the next day, when I saw another message written - "Get out now!"
'Marlon,' I said. 'I told you. If you keep on scrawling on it, I'll take away your PlayStation. It's not your board.'
I hid the chalk at the back of the kitchen drawer, but I thought Marlon must have found and hung it back up because, on the third day, the message said, "Beware - it will kill you," Only this time the writing was all flowery and ornate, nothing like my Marlon's. I tore the board down and threw it in the trash can.
I thought that would be the end of it, but when I came into the kitchen on the fifth day, I found the board fixed up on the wall again, showing just one word - "Run."

That night we left the flat to stay at my mum's house, and in the early hours of the following morning, our block of flats burnt down, killing three families. I guess I'll never know why we were spared? But one thing I do know - if you ever get a warning like Marlon and me, make sure you listen. 

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